THE ART OF QUESTIONING Dr. Nicolas T. Capulong Assistant Schools Division Superintendent

Introduction One of the teaching tools conveniently placed in the hands of a teacher is the questions. And yet many teachers either use it carelessly or fail to see its possibilities for promoting effective learning.

Uses 1.To stimulate students to think 2.To motivate students –Questions can be used effectively to arouse and hold the interest of pupils 3. To diagnose pupil difficulties 4.To discover pupil interest 5.To develop the ability to evaluate and organize materials or experiences. –Will students to see relationships among data and to formulate conclusions 6. To aid students relate pertinent experiences to the lesson. 7.To focus pupil attention on the points of the lesson. –It helps students organize their thinking about a lesson in a logical way. 8.To develop new appreciations and attitudes –Questions can be used to help pupils modify, clarify or expand ideas relating to appreciations and attitudes. 9.To provide drill or practice. 10.To show relationship, such as cause & effect. 11.To encourage the application of concepts.

Characteristics of a Good Question 1.It is simple and clear 2.It is definite –Permits one answer 3.It is challenging & thought – provoking –It stimulates students to compare, evaluate, draw conclusions & appraise results. 4.It is adopted to the age, abilities and interests of the students. 5.It requires on extends response

Techniques of Questioning – questioning requires skills 1.Questions should be asked in a natural and well – modulated voice. 2.A teacher should ask the question first & then wait for the class to think about it before calling on a student to answer the question. 3.A sufficient number of questions should be asked to stimulate students to activity. 4.A teacher should refrain from repeating questions. (to challenge attention) 5.Questions should be evenly distributed so that the majority of the pupils can take part in the discussion. 6.A teacher should avoid starting to any mechanical system of fielding question to the class, such as alphabetical order, row by row etc. 7.A teacher should ask questions that are really interesting and thought – provoking.

Techniques in Handling Students Response 1.A teacher should make every effort to show on appreciative attitude towards students’ answers. –The teacher should refrain from giving sarcastic comments to wrong answer. 2.A teacher should never allow wrong answers slip by. 3.Correct answers of students should be followed with encouraging remarks by the teacher. 4.Clearness in every point expressed by the students should be insisted upon by the teacher. 5.Answering in concert should be discouraged. 6.A teacher should be encouraged to answer in a loud and clear voice. 7.Students should be encouraged to answer in complete thought units and grammatically correct statements. 8.A teacher should refrain from making the students in his record book during the class recitation.

Techniques in Handling Student’s Questions 1.Student’s questions should be encouraged by a teacher. 2.A teacher should not answer a student question right away. 3.Indiscriminate student questions should not be allowed. 4.A teacher should require students to form grammatically correct questions. 5.If a teacher is asked questions he cannot answer he should promptly admit his